Tuesday, April 22, 2008

When I was in HS, ecology was scorned and Earth Day was a celebration for the new activist. We were only just being exposed to our impact on Mother Earth. Here's a little something from the "founder". We are still learning how our actions effect future generations. The result is that today its a movement - action, marketing, advertising ... the works. Green is the buzzword and beyond. Who says you can't change the world?

In honor of gently treading upon our rock in space, I favor riding a bike. "On Your Left" is a term of warning when passing another rider or someone walking along the path. No way for me to tell how many readers are local or how many climb onto a saddle. Just in case, here is a link to a survey for cyclists who use the streets in Spokane. We are currently updating the Master Bike Plan for the city. Does your city have a bicycle plan?

An organization based in SF is planning and designing for a Bicycle City in every state. Washington, DC is trying a SmartBike program. It's funded at least in part by a division of Clear Channel. At first glance, this program appears to be a great example of private and public enterprise coming together. Anything to move people from point A to point B with one less car is a giant step.

Ten Ideas for a better today and the 364 days leading up to Earth Day 2009 -

1 - climb on your bike2 - count how many days in a month you can avoid turning on your car ignition3 - plant a tree4 - remember to carry your reusable cloth bag to the market5 - find biodegradable shampoos and soaps - use them6 - switch that darn incandescent light bulb7 - reduce, reuse, and recycle metal, paper and plastic. support organizations who walk the talk.8 - if you must print something - print on both sides of your printer paper9 - use tap water - buy a filter if you must - its cheaper, cleaner, and you don't have to toss a bottle10 - add your own by letting your imagination fly

4 comments:

Great post. I'm lucky enough to work at home and to live in a highly walkable neighborhood. And I don't own a bike yet, but I've been contemplating one (just need to get over a recent breakup with an avid cyclist... sigh). I am a runner, though, and my PO Box is about 3 miles away. I'm trying to make myself jog there and back, but I don't want to run with a pack. Of course, I could be optimistic that each trip to the box will bring checks that I can deposit immediately into the bank across the street. But that's crazy talk.

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It's a blog about community and conversation - learning and growing. Musings originate from the Great Northwest, USA. Explore, imagine, create! Why NOT bite off more than you can chew? Reflections focus on a life lived with a sense of discovery, surprise and amazement. Stir in a few insights on media and the newspaper business. Mix with meditations on cycling (and recycling), bluegrass, baseball and growing old gracefully. I am an unrepentant DeadHead and friend to all. This blog expresses my opinions only - really.